Gov’t cuts quarantine period to 5 days

Patients and close contacts, however, must obtain negative test results first.

The government has shortened the isolation and quarantine period for COVID-19 patients and their close contacts by two days.

This, however, is only applicable if patients and close contacts obtain negative results in the daily rapid antigen tests (RAT).

“If people infected with the virus obtain negative RAT results on the fourth and fifth days after testing positive, they may be discharged from isolation early after reporting the test result on Day 5,” the government explained.

“As for close contacts of COVID-19 patients, they may be discharged from quarantine on Day 5 if they obtain negative daily RAT results,” the government added.

The five-day quarantine rule will also apply to inbound travellers; however, they still would need to undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test after arrival.

All inbound travellers arriving on December 2 and any date after are only required to undergo RATs daily until Day 5 after they arrive in Hong Kong.

The existing "test-and-go" arrangements upon arrival at the airport and nucleic acid test on Day 2 remain unchanged.

Meanwhile, existing social distancing measures, which are set to expire on December 14, will be maintained until December 28.